


The Puppy

by GachMoBrea



Series: Fostering Strength [5]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: (Carguments?), AU: Foster Family, Alternate Universe, Angry!Joe, Arguments in a Car, BigBrother!Len, Brother!Barry, Brotherly Squabbles, Father!Joe, Foster Family, Gen, Humor, Len Acting Dangerously, OOC, One-Shot, puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 10:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7841743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GachMoBrea/pseuds/GachMoBrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In between the Bivolo/Rainbow Raider episode and meeting the Reverse Flash, Len saves a puppy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Puppy

Joe is questioning a witness at the scene of a robbery, Len at his side with his own note pad, when suddenly the detective-in-training stiffens.  
Len drops his pad and runs across the street, straight at an incoming truck.  
"LEN!" Joe shouts out, dropping his own pad as he watches the vehicle screech passed where his kid was standing just a moment ago.

The truck stops completely and the detective is already running to it to look for his boy.  
"Len? Len!" Joe looks under the vehicle but there's no body, not even blood. Relieved but still angry and confused, the detective rounds on the vehicle to find Len standing with his back to him; safe and sound.  
For now.  
"What on earth was that all about?!" Joe barks furiously at him. "Are you TRYING to give me a heart attack? It worked! I can't believe-"  
He stops as Len turns to him, stares at the whimpering creature in the boy's arms and teeters on getting angrier or more confused. "What's that?"  
"It's a puppy, Joe," the kid rolls his eyes, walking over to a small boy crying on a doorstep. "Hey, there little guy. Is this your dog?"  
The child snuffs loudly, looking up through teary eyes then shouts, "Wilton!"  
Len goes to one knee so that the crying boy can take the dog from him.  
"You should have him on a leash," Len tells the boy seriously. "But you did the right thing not running into traffic after him."  
"I was too scared. I almost lost him," the boy snuggles his face into the dog's fur. "Thank you!"  
With a grin, Len pats the boy on his head and helps him to his feet, "Where are your parents?"  
"Samuel!" a woman comes barreling through the gathering crowd to pull the boy into her arms. "Where have you been! You were supposed to stay by my side!"  
"I'm sorry, mommy! Wilton ran away and I had to get him back," the boy cries into his mother's arms.  
"Oh, baby," the woman rocks her son back and forth as she rubs at his back, the dog sandwiched between them. She looks up to Len and Joe, "Thank you! I don't know what happened but I heard the truck screeching to a stop and thought the worst!"  
"You're boy was smart," Len smiles at the woman encouragingly. "He stayed safe on the curb when the dog ran into the streets. Everything's fine now, so don't worry."  
"But make sure you get that dog on a lease," Joe repeats Len's order from earlier. "It would personally put my mind at ease if I knew the pup wouldn't go around attempting accidents anymore."  
"We will, first thing-well, after we get home," the woman smiles, giving her son another tight hug. "I promise."  
"See you later, Samuel," Len winks to the boy, then walks back to the scene where the witness was waiting with wide eyes.  
Joe smacks his kid after he's picked up their note books.  
"What was that for?" Len growls, rubbing at his head.  
"That was for trying to put me into an early grave," Joe growls back angrier. "I swear, it's like you and Barry are in some sort of contest to give me the biggest scare."

 

Later, while the three boys are carpooling back home, Len brings the 'contest' back up. "I think Barry takes the gold on threatening Eddie."  
"What?" his brother protests from the back seat.  
"I verbally threatened the guy and let him fall down the stairs, sure, but BARRY almost beat the guy to death!"  
"I was under the influence of a metahuman!"  
"Excuses, excuses."  
"Boys."  
"And I might have made a calculated risk saving that dog, but Barry purposely, and literally, runs head first into danger."  
"It's my job to keep Central City safe."  
"Boys!"  
"I'm not saying to stop, Barry, I'm just pointing out that a one-time rescue shouldn't get me the 'fatherly glare of disapproval' that Joe's pretending he's not giving me."  
"BOYS!"  
The two stop, turning startled eyes to the detective.  
"Why must I always shout in order to be heard in this family?" Joe sighs, pushing the speed limit a little. "If you two don't cut it out, I'm telling your sisters."  
"But Lisa's been so happy after seeing Felicity," Barry comments quietly.  
"There's no need to ruin their night just because you're upset."  
"I'm gonna drop you off right here," he threatens, mock turning to the curb.  
"Okay!" Len surrenders. "I'll try not to run headlong into traffic without your permission."  
"You ran into traffic?" Barry frowns. "I thought you saved the dog from a tree?"  
"Did I say I saved it from a tree?"  
"No."  
"Then why did you think I got the dog out of a tree?"  
"I don't know! I just assumed it! I never thought you'd be dumb enough to run into traffic!"  
"Boys."  
"The truck wasn't even going that fast."  
"You should've called me."  
"Oh, yes, I'll use those precious seconds calling you in hopes you'd answer in time-"  
"Bo-oys."  
"-Instead of just saving the thing myself! I did save it, you know. AND I'm sitting here, just fine, so you can relax now, Nerd."  
"Don't call me that. You know how much it bothers me."  
"Boys."  
"Iris made it up, why would you be angry at me for using it?"  
"That's it," Joe pulls over and jerks his thumb, "Out."  
"You know that's not fair since Barry can use his powers to get home before you still," Len points out as he reaches for the handle.  
"Barry?"  
"Yes, Joe?"  
"No using your powers to run home. Walk there with your brother."  
"Okay."  
They get out.

Joe takes off after leaving the boys on the sidewalk to stare at the tail lights.

 

After a beat, Len turns to Barry, "Do you think he might have been hit by Bivolo's powers without us knowing it?"  
"Nah, it doesn't last as long on normal people," his brother shrugs.  
"I don't think Joe belongs in the category of normal," Len chuckles, taking the lead on the walk home.  
"What makes you say that?" Barry asks, falling into step at his side.  
"He took the two of us in, didn't he?"

-

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing.


End file.
